A consumer insurance information blog by Renaissance Alliance, a consortium of New England independent insurance agents, focusing on news, information and tips to take the mystery out of insurance.

A consumer insurance information blog by Renaissance Alliance

Tag Archives: cyberliability

The internet is a wonderful thing and a tool that many of us no longer know how we ever did without. Still, as wonderful as the internet can be, there are dangers online. Most of us are savvy enough these days never to click on a link in an email from a stranger but unfortunately, just as we have wised up, so have the scammers. There are new tricks out there that every citizen of this wired age should be aware of.
Clickjacking is one of the newer tricks in the internet scammers repertoire. First discussed in 2008, clickjacking has come into its own with the popularity of social media like Facebook. Clickjacking occurs when a scam artist or other internet-based bad guy places an invisible button or other user interface element over top of a seemingly innocent web page button. In a clickjack attack, an unwary Facebook user may click on a innocent looking web page, thinking that the link is fine. In reality, the invisible link they are actually clicking can activate a button that can do any number of things, including changing the privacy settings on their Facebook account, putting up a fake “like” on their Facebook feed, asking them to submit personal information or even, in a worst case scenario, activating something on their computer like a webcam or microphone. Not only is the immediate user affected, but a fake Facebook “like” can lead many of their friends to click as well. This is embarrassing as well as potentially dangerous. Clickjacking is so serious that both Facebook and the state of Washington have taken legal action against suspected clickjackers in recent weeks.
How can you make sure that you’re not taken in? Always be sure that you are using the latest version of your chosen internet browser. The latest version of Firefox can be found here at Mozilla; Internet Explorer here at Microsoft and Google Chrome here. You may also want to consider some browser add-ons, like NoScript, available for free download here. As always, however, your best protection against scammers is your own common sense. Review your Facebook privacy settings often and make sure you’re comfortable with how much you’re sharing. Always be aware of what you’re clicking on. Remember, anything that’s promising something for nothing is too good to be true.
If you are concerned about your vulnerabilities to identity theft, find a New England Renaissance Alliance insurance agent to discuss identity theft insurance. And if you are a business, you may want to inquire about Cyberliability Insurance.